


Hellfire

by jarethsdragon



Category: Street Fighter
Genre: AFAB Original Character, F/M, blatant ripoff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24083764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarethsdragon/pseuds/jarethsdragon
Summary: Ryu sees an irresistibly beautiful Gypsy with green eyes and suddenly knows what he wants.  He wants her.  He will do anything to make sure she is his.(Blatantly inspired by the Disney Hunchback of Norte Dame)
Relationships: Ryu/Original Female Character
Kudos: 5





	Hellfire

**Author's Note:**

> So this was inspired after listening to a cover of Hellfire from Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. A beautiful gypsy girl who can touch the heart of a street fighter

Ryu stared at the celebration grounds. It was rare that street fights had such celebrations, but here in some Ukraine backwater, there was almost an unbelievable to do. His adoptive father—Master Gouken—had been wise enough to teach him rudimentary basics of several religions and the Catholic celebrations of Mardis Gras were known to him.

He passed a mighty, stone cathedral with tall panes of stained glass. The robed cardinals stood on the steps with censors of incense, offering blessings to those who passed. One of them nodded vaguely at him, swinging the brass ornaments to spread another thin stream of scented smoke into the air. And they were singing as he walked down the street.

_Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti_

_Beatae Mariae semper Virgini_

_Beato Michaeli archangelo_

_Sanctis apostolis omnibus sanctis_

He walked slowly down the cobblestones and stared at it all. There were many colorful canvas tents and rings with flags fluttering overhead. Flat trailers were covered with crepe paper streamers and swags of fabric. Fiddlers and musicians stood at corners and on temporary stands with hats or cans for people to toss money into. Stands had snacks and drinks—roasted turkey legs, bread bowls of stew or soup, cakes and desserts—for a pittance. Tents offered a variety of amusements from chicken wire pens for people to pet small animals, games, dancing, and even a tiny circus.

The entire town jostled around him, laughing and drinking as they celebrated Fat Tuesday before starting the penance and fasting for Lent. There were posters advertising everything. There were even several blue ones for the street fight—helpfully telling him where he could find the street fighting “ring” (which doubled as a circus ring, a magicians performance area and an animal show judging area). The fights were late that night, so he had time to wander the fair and see the sights.

He bought a bread bowl of a local stew—big chunks of beef and potatoes with circles of carrots and little green peas and all with a thick gravy tasting of wine and pepper. It was... so very different from the clean, simple fair of his home in Japan, but it felt filling and delicious. Then he got a slender slice of farmer made cheese along with a hand pie of sweet, cinnamon apples. Then he could wash it all down with apple cider instead of the various micro-brewed beers.

He took a poster from a scruffy lad who was putting them up and folded it to put it in the big bag on his back. Master Gouken would like to see it when he asked about where Ryu had been. He wandered close to a wooden scaffold surrounded by flags and with elaborate black and white and red streamers floating in the spring breeze. For a moment, his nose tickled as a heavyset farmer wandered past with an elaborate stein of beer and he watched as some children with glitter-covered masks ran past.

Then there was a loud pop and he jumped. His canvas bag dropped to the ground with a thump and his hands went up in fists automatically as he spun. Everyone around him gave an appreciative murmur, and for a moment, he thought they were in awe of his obvious skill and training. He flushed, but then raised his eyes to the scaffold.

A cloud of purple dust blew away and he saw.... her.

She was proudly standing there in the middle of the scaffold in a long purple skirt and a fanciful white blouse with a long scarlet and gold scarf around her narrow waist. He couldn’t help but stare at the way her blouse showed off her bare shoulders and dipped over her breasts. Her long hair curled and twisted wildly almost down to her waist, barely tied back with a red ribbon that seemed to be almost an echo of his headband. Her scarf around her waist was so thickly embroidered with gold thread on the shiny scarlet silk it seemed almost golden. There was lace at the ruffles over her breasts and at the cuff that hugged her elbows. Most startling was the way that her eyes were some kind of gleeful and laughing true green against the tanned olive of her skin.

She spun lightly on her feet and he was startled to see that her feet were as bare as his own. Everyone cheered around him as she spun again and a dumpy man with a violin struck up a tune. From somewhere—perhaps with magic—she suddenly held a tambourine with ribbons floating down from it and began dancing. It made his blood heat and his mouth dry to see the way she suddenly dipped right in front of him and that blouse gaped just enough that he saw a shadow of cleavage. Then she spun again and just bent backward as if she was going to suddenly faint only to rise and kick in some impossible way.

The audience clapped in time to the violin, letting up a raucous cheer as she twisted again. She seemed to draw energy, her dancing growing more enthusiastic and addictive. Then, as the music spun faster and rose, she gave a wild series of spins that made her skirt and the petticoats underneath flutter up to show him a tidy, slender pair of feet and trim calves.

Then she dropped into a humble curtesy, her smile infectious at the clapping and cheering. Coins and cheap bills and necklaces of plastic beads—green and gold and purple—tossed into her tambourine as she slid it around to the crowd. She spun around, looking for further contributions before skipping over to the edge of the stage. With one last wave at the crowd, she turned, only to stand directly in front of him.

“Hello,” she whispered breathlessly, making his eyes dip to her heaving breasts. “Coming to the performance tonight?”

“P-p-performance?” he repeated like a helpless parrot.

She nodded and waved absently at the musician. He disappeared int the crowd as she stepped down in front of him. “I will be in the main tent. Before the fight.”

“I’ll be there,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Come to my tent and I will tell your fortune.” She nodded and gave him a glittering smile again. Plucking up a gold necklace, she dropped it around his neck and blew him a flirtatious kiss. “I cannot wait. Don’t forget that I will tell you your future—for free!” Then, she darted around him, her bare feet flashing and her skirts twitching as she vanished into the shifting crowd.

He tried to scoop up his bag, but she was completely gone when he looked around again. He trailed after her, but no one looked even close. He saw women in long skirts and blouses, but none were like her. Musicians shifted and would pop up only to play a song or two and disappear again. Wherever she had gone, it was like she had vanished like magic.

He was eating some cake from another stand when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Looking up, he smiled, “Ken!”

Ken loped through the crowd with his long blond hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing his signature red ghi. “What a coincidence! Meeting you here.”

Ryu snorted. “I’m sure.”

“You’re here for the fight,” Ken said with a firm certainty. “I can’t wait.” He smiled as Ryu craned his head around and examined the crowd. “Who are you looking for anyway?”

Ryu flushed and tugged on the thick strap of his bag. “Uhh....”

“Oh, is it a girl?” Ken hooted. “You finally fell, huh?” Ryu stared at him blankly. “Fell in love?”

Ryu grunted. “Hardly.”

Ken nodded knowingly and snorted. “Sure. Sure.”

Ryu blinked uncertainly. “Whatever.”

“What do you say we take a look around and then we’ll hit the hotel and rest until the fight?” Ken pointed to a tall stone building at the edge of the crowd. “Catch up?”

Ryu shrugged. “I suppose.”

“You’re no fun,” Ken grumbled with a smile. “I suppose you want to go find some pasture or rock beside the road and meditate or something.”

“That’s what we’re supposed to do.”

“Yeah. Sure. And that’s not sugar on your cheek.”

Ryu brushed at his face and sure enough, there was a streak of sugary glaze. He turned red again and his face dropped as he tugged on the strap of his bag again. “Whatever. Let’s go.”

They wandered through the fair, taking in the sights and admiring the blue ribbon pigs and goats, picking up occasional snacks or drinks, playing a game or two where they threw rings around pegs or tossed darts at balloons. Ken won a goldfish and Ryu won a glittering mask with ribbons going down the sides. Ken was about to give up, dropping many hints going back to the hotel, when Ryu saw the festive little tent of red canvas.

She was there, sitting at a small table littered with items—crystals, beaded necklaces, a glass ball, a tin of loose tea like Gouken usually had and a pot of hot water. She waved at them with a smile on her face.

“Hello! Have you come to have your fortune told?” She waved at the table. “Come and sit down!”

“Sure,” Ryu blurted out. “Why not?”

“It’s all fake,” Ken laughed.

She smiled at them, her hands gracefully flicking over the crystal ball. Ryu looked at his friend and then at her again. “It’s not nice to be rude to a lady,” he muttered as he turned slightly. “She’s invited us to—.”

Ken burst into laughter. “Yeah—and I’m the Incredible Hulk.” Ryu turned red. “Look, she’s a gypsy—.” Ryu turned towards him in confusion. “Just another carnival gypsy who will tell you anything you want as long as you keep paying.”

Ryu touched the necklace around his neck. He muttered sourly, “She was going to tell me for free.”

“Yeah... sure. And tell me another story. They’re all out for whatever they can get and she’s no different.” Ken chuckled again as Ryu flushed. “Look, I’m going to go back to the hotel and take a nap. I’ll see you tonight.”

Ryu nodded shortly, his lips tight and thin as the other man whirled and began walking back to the hotel. Instead of going with his friend, he turned back towards her, going to sit down at the table.

She smiled warmly at him and nodded. “I see you found me.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“Me? I’m Esmeralda,” she grinned, tossing that wild mane of hair. He sucked in an anxious, nervous breath. “Come... I will tell your future.”

“Uhh... what... what do I do?”

“Oh, I’m multi-talented.” She gave a secretive smile. “Of course, it does depend on what you’re asking.” She waved at the glass ball. “This would tell me some kind of vision of the future. The tea would help me answer a specific question and the cards would give me a clearer vision of your past and your future. ”

He turned even redder and scratched the back of his head nervously as he shifted on the insignificant stool. “I mean... I guess—.”

“How about if I do a traditional stone drum reading?” Esmeralda shifted and picked up the tambourine from her lap. On the underside, he could see thin lines of circles and unintelligible symbols. “Or I could simply read your palm if you are too shy?”

Ryu grunted, aware of the crowd starting to gather. His ears felt prickly and hot as he wondered if they were going to see him break the tiny stool and fall over. “Umm....” He vaguely remembered Ken’s words. “How much?”

She reached over and tapped the beads that were somehow still around his neck. Then her green eyes flicked over the gathering crowd before her voice dipped to a thoughtful whisper. “I will do whatever you wish—for free as I promised.” She winked playfully. “Just don’t tell anyone, eh?”

Ryu glanced at the gathering crowd and nodded. “Umm... sure.”

“And what question do you want me to answer? Or would you rather I simply see your future?”

He shrugged, trying to be as playful as she was. “How will I do?”

“Ahh, the future.” She took out the tambourine to put it on the table and reached down to pick up a bag from under the table. “Pick out four stones.”

He dumbly reached and picked stones out of her bag. They looked simple and plain—tumbled stones that seemed unremarkable. She smiled and held her hand palm up. Without saying anything else, he tipped his hand to dump them into hers. He smiled as he felt her warm skin brush his in even this most innocent of ways.

“I can tell already that you are a strong and powerful man,” she smiled as their hands were joined. “That you have the power to make a glorious and worthy future.”

He started to protest, but she leaned forward and again gave him a tantalizing glimpse of the soft breasts. She puffed a breath across their joined hands and then her hand turned and dumped the stones down into the tambourine. They bounced with little taps to settle.

Finally, he realized he was supposed to pull his hand back and he stared at the pebbles with her. There was nothing he could see, nothing he could understand as she stared.

She pointed at a smooth, gray stone. “This one—this is on the skull. You have been near death three times.” She nodded gravely, looking up at him. “Perhaps more than three. This stone is serpentine and it is near the sigil of the traitor, the enemy. You have an enemy who is near or related to you—someone who wants your downfall.” Her eyes seemed to grow wet and dewy as she looked up at him again. Slowly, she nodded and her eyes dropped down again. “Still, there is hope. You have this one here—smoky quartz over the sigil of the new leaf. The quartz shows us that the future is not clear, that it is not fully set. The new leaf means that you will grow, become even better.” She tilted her head and smiled. “And here—it is my favorite. The rose quartz is the stone of love.”

Ryu studied the tiny pink stone. “What is it on?”

“It is the star.” She smiled and he loved looking at it. “You will ultimately be victorious in that which is most important to you.”

“What is that?”

She smiled mysteriously. “Why... that is for you to know.” She shrugged again and Ryu couldn’t help but look at the way her hair glistened in the sunlight as she tossed it over her shoulder again. “But it will be a victory. And it will be for what you find most important.”

He nodded, staring at her solemnly. “And what else?” Ryu reached out to her, but she turned away. “Tell me more.”

She gave him another playful wink. “I predict... that I will see you tonight.”

He was going to say something else. But there was a rough hand on his shoulder. “Hey, we’re next.”

Unsettled, he scrambled to pick up his bag and move aside. Another man—an older man with a gray beard and a purple striped shirt—took his place. Coyly, Esmeralda showed him the items and took a folded bill from him. Ryu stared as she dropped it into the front of her shirt and began reading the older man’s palm.

Restless, he stumbled away and found himself back at the cathedral. The robed religious men were still there, blessing passerby. He stumbled in with a crowd of visitors, watching as they stood at the long stands of candles and muttered their prayers and wishes for the usual stuff—love, money, successful ventures...

So, he took a thin reed and went to an empty table where there were many unlit candles in their red glass holders. He picked one out and stared at it.

What did he most want? What did he want more than anything? That was what she said he would succeed. Then his mind bloomed with images of Esmeralda. Despite the people milling around, the religious men in their robes whispering, that image bloomed and took root and became an explosion in his head.

She was thin and supple like young bamboo. She bent and twisted and it was like watching water flow down a stream or flames licking around a log. She was soft—her palms and fingers were warm and felt like silk. Her skin was flawless and an even tanned olive that seemed to almost match his own. When she laughed, her curly hair bounced as if it was laughing too and it glistened golden in the sunlight. She danced barefoot... as careless of the ground beneath her feet as he was.

He had never felt this rush of blood and heat in his veins. Nothing like this. He had seen beautiful women and been able to ignore them all, but this one gave him a smile and a laugh and every muscle in his body went hard and stiff.

He wanted her.

So as the people behind him murmured low hymns and prayers, he added a silent one of his own.

_Beata Maria_

_You know I am a righteous man_

_Of my virtue, I am justly proud_

A priest behind him murmured, _“Et tibi, Pater.”_

He shuddered to picture her with someone else. Someone who would touch those smooth shoulders and kiss those soft lips. Someone who could tangle his fingers into that mass of soft black hair. Someone who could make her smile like that, make her laugh, and show her the world. If he hadn’t been so disciplined, the tumult would have shaken his hand so much the slender reed would have snapped.

He was disciplined. He had been disciplined for the whole of his life. He had studied and practiced and never partaken the pleasures of the flesh. Even when Ken was studying in Japan with him, side by side, he had meditated, studied, practiced during their free time as the American had traipsed down the mountain to the village in search of what he called excitement.

_Beata Maria_

_You know I'm so much purer than_

_The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd_

Again priest spoke to someone in hushed Latin and he caught part of it. _“Quia peccavi nimis.”_

He touched the red candle holder and it was almost like the scarlet of the scarf around her waist. As he looked and saw the many lit candles in their red holders, it was like he was looking at a living incarnation of that fabric in golden flames.

That made him harder.

The way she danced. The way that she smiled and twirled as lightly on her feet as dandelion fluff. The way a hummingbird dips lightly towards a flower. And she had seen him, recognized him, given him her attention... He touched the beaded necklace with an unexpected feeling of reverence.

But that made it all worse. It was like she was standing right there in front of him. If he hadn’t vividly pictured her breasts, her nipples pebbling in this cool and shadowy air, he wouldn’t have known he was imagining it.

_Then tell me, Maria_

_Why I see her dancing there_

_Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul_

The voice of the priest taking confession mixed with the voice of Gouken in his head. “Cogitatione.”

The candle caught with a yellow flare. He stared at it, sure that somehow she had grasped the ki of fire itself. She was so lively, so full of life. Her name even sounded exotic and sensual on his lips like an exotic candy.

There was little to do and he could hear people leaving behind him. There was nothing to do but to go out with them. It was late in the afternoon—how had he lost so many hours staring at the candles in the cathedral?—and everyone now was going along the streets back to the fair. Little torches now were being lit, leading a flickering and festive light to the fluttering flags and stomping music.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, he went through the fair to the tent with the ring. Shouldering through the crowd, he claimed a seat on the front row and dropped his bag in front of him. The man in the ring—poorly lit by a single spotlight—had a colorful clown costume and four little mutts in frilly tutus that danced and did tricks. A trio of musicians played a silly refrain that he could completely ignore.

The clown had barely taken his bows and left with his dogs when he heard another bang. He was... marginally more prepared and this time could see the dramatic smoke burst from the little egg or balloon as Esmeralda spun into the ring. The music started again, allowing her to begin beating her tambourine over her head and began dancing.

His breath caught and his mouth went dry as she leaped up and then sank into a spin as soon as her toes hit the ground. He laughed to see her bare feet thumping on the ground. She was like him! She too preferred the feel of the ground under her toes. He could see she was strong and lithe and flexible as she spun and let out one of those amazing high kicks. She was like him...

Ken waved at him from across the crowd and he barely noticed as he kept staring at her. She saw it though—and she waved back and blew a kiss at the American—before spinning back and continuing with her dance. He scowled at that and shook his head at her sharply and angrily. She only laughed and gave him a brief curtsy before rising and dancing some more. Everyone applauded as she curtsied again and the music took a breath.

Ryu took a deep breath, amazed at the cinnamon and flowers in the air. Esmeralda must smell like that—shy and sweet like violets and warm and dark like cinnamon—and it made him smirk as she strayed to the edge of the ring closest to him.

Just as he was thinking of rising, of taking her hand, and leading her through the darkness, he saw men bringing in sturdy wooden chairs with tall backs and settling them into a tidy square so they were shoulder to shoulder in an empty square.

A lone violinist began again and Esmeralda pranced just out of his reach to go climb on the seat of one of them. Her tambourine went up again, the ribbons fluttering like the curls in her hair and she began dancing again—this time dancing up and down from a precarious perch on the back of one of the chairs to the seat and then back up. Everyone began clapping in time in a heady beat that throbbed into his veins. She seemed to be dancing to entice him alone and it seemed that her green eyes glistened for him alone.

He shifted restlessly, aware that his cock was hard in the tight confines of his ragged pants. He had never felt so aroused, his blood throbbing in his veins like fireworks. His eyes felt hot as she tossed the tambourine aside and it slid unbelievably towards him as it disappeared from the spotlight. A smile flashed as she lifted her skirts and then he could stare hungrily at her legs as her feet hopped from seat to chair back and then across the gap to the other side.

The music swayed lightly, making her hips sway. She dipped for a moment and leaped up, spinning in the air before landing lightly on the ground. The crowd went wild, rising and stomping on the crude risers or the ground with whistles and shouts and cheering. Even when she curtseyed, her skirts in a fluttering puddle around her, he felt the throbbing rush of blood in his veins.

How modestly she crossed her arms over her chest as she dipped again in a curtsy to the crowd. Her eyes lowered shyly and her head bowed in recognition at the hooting and cheers. That bashful modesty made him ache more.

_I feel her, I see her_

_The sun caught in her raven hair_

_Is blazing in me out of all control_

It was beyond words as she rose and pranced to the other side of the ring and again acknowledged the cheers. At this angle, he could see her hair bounce and the lights glisten in the spotlight. He could see her hips underneath the flowing lines of her skirt. One more time, she waved and blew kisses before she abandoned the spotlight. He smiled as she came into the shadows at the edge of the ring and knelt right in front of him to pick up her tambourine.

It was then he saw the pair of robed priests at the arching entrance to the tent. They scowled and frowned, staring down their noses as she went out for another curtsy to the crowd. One of them stretched a disapproving finger to point at her. They seemed to be accusing her in harsh whispers that carried as the musician suddenly stopped playing in red-faced shame.

“Verbo et opere!”

She rose and darted past him, flowing him a hasty kiss as she went out a hidden exit. He paused, staring at the priests as they hissed disapprovingly with snarling looks at the various performers and musicians. Then, as they seemed to be chilling the entire gathering, he picked up his bag and ducked out the same way she left.

The sun had gone down as he had sat there and there was now barely a pink blush to the evening sky as he stared around at the badly lit backlot. Trailers and heavy trucks and campers were in uneven gatherings with dim bulbs and taillights. A small dog barked wildly at him as he stepped down the uneven aisle between vehicles.

There was hissing in the tent behind him—a muttering of disapproval—and he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Something felt off, an inner alarm that made his hackles rise. She might be in trouble. Those priests were pretty stern, pretty obvious in their disapproval and if he knew anything, then he knew how easy it was for people—good people—to suddenly become panicked and become a mob.

He didn’t want them to do that. Not to her. Everything in him became rough and harsh. He couldn’t let them attack her. She could be cornered in any of these flimsy trailers, any of these dark alleys. He felt anger flush through him. He would find her, warn her, take her away from here, and they could travel together. She could dance if she wanted, but he certainly could win enough from the fights, from the tournaments, to keep her.

He heard a heavy step behind him and whirled, ready for a fight. Ken smirked at him. “Where are you headed to?”

“She’s going to be cornered,” Ryu hissed angrily. “We can’t let them—.”

“Wait... who?!” Ken frowned and looked around. “Oh? The priests?” Ken snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “They are just calling people to church.” He pointed to the sky. “Fat Tuesday is ending and the party is ending.”

Ryu shook his head. “She could be in trouble.”

“Look... she’s a gypsy. She’s totally used to this. Besides, she’s probably long gone.” Ken shrugged his shoulders and looked around. “Besides—this whole thing will get taken down tonight and they’ll be out probably by sunrise.”

A series of roars came from the tent and Ryu jumped a little. An image bloomed in his head of her being hauled away by an angry mob. As he looked at Ken—amazed at his nonchalance—he realized how furious he had become.

Of course Ken was unconcerned! He had everything—wealth, position, family, exotic homes and a girlfriend who was a top model who had more of the same. He scowled and tugged on the worn thin strap of his bag—the bag Master Gouken had given him so long ago when he was still a skinny teenager going to school—and shrugged himself. “Sure. Whatever you say, Ken.”

The blond man cocked his head curiously. “Ummm... Are you sure?” He stared at his friend. “Look. We’ll go into the fights. If you don’t want to do register, then we’ll sit in the audience.” His grin was cocky and unsure at the same time. “I want to tell you about the fight in Arizona....”

“You go ahead,” Ryu murmured as another roar came out of the tent. “I’ll catch up.”

“You’re going to go after her anyway, aren’t you?” Ken snorted, rolling his eyes. “After I told you that you about her. You know she’s probably a whore, too, right?” Ryu gaped and then scowled, his cheeks turning red. Ken’s grin widened. “Or is that what you’re going for? You sly—.”

Ryu’s fist cracked against the other man’s jaw. “Don’t say that! Don’t say that about her. You don’t know her.” Ken leaped back, rubbing his jaw with a sour expression. “You don’t know anything about her.”

Ken grumbled softly, “You don’t either!”

Ryu whirled and he ignored the other man. He needed to get moving anyway. He could hear the huge bells in the cathedral and it made some part of his blood run cold. There was a huge brass bell in the village near Master Gouken’s dojo and they only rang it in times of emergency or to gather the entire village together.

He kept walking, systematically searching the unsteady alleys between the vehicles and temporary sheds. What the hell did Ken know? He had his Eliza back home and she traveled the world with him whenever she wanted. They were the tall, blond couple that everyone wanted to be. He even wanted to be Ken at times. He had often thought about how wonderful would it be to have money, to have a position, to have properties and to not scrimp for every coin, to have a beautiful girlfriend who had even more. Then he would shake himself and realize that he did not need to waste the time and energy hating his friend, and he would train on.

What did Ken know of life outside his safe, warm, comfortable little bubble?

He kept stalking down the uneven ground. Every so often a child would dart in the shadows, going into one of the trailers or a tent or camper. A dog would bark at him—usually one of the tiny ones that he was invariably afraid he would hurt terribly. One of the larger campers had a lizard cage in the window and from another one he could smell some kind of soup simmering from inside.

He turned a corner and was shocked to see another heavily muscular man walking towards him. Shuffling backward, he dropped his heavy bag and pulled his fists up. Blinking in the evening almost darkness, he stared at the shadowy figure, ready to pummel them into nothingness.

The figure was muscular and hunched over protectively. Meaty fists were balled tight and the face was in a tight scowl that dripped menacing violence. It was an aggressive, snarling figure that was almost terrifying.

It was a wobbly and waving glass mirror.

He puffed out a breath as he finally made out several funny mirrors, a few spools of wires and some spare metal struts and wooden frames. It was only his reflection, making him jump and sending every nerve into a hot frazzle.

What had Master Gouken always told him? To stay virtuous. To train and remain honorable in every action. What had he been told about women? To treat them with respect. To protect them. To ensure their safety...

He touched the cheap plastic beads from around his neck. She was somewhere out. She had no idea that there might be a mob forming right now. She was so soft, so innocent—so open and friendly. It would be like a friendly kitten approaching a cobra. And even now the thoughts of her smooth skin and flawless body—that made his body flush and his blood rage.

_Like fire_

_Hellfire_

_This fire in my skin_

_This burning_

_Desire_

_Is turning me to sin_

He loved that burn, though. He loved the thought of touching her. Of holding her against his body. Of tangling his fingers in her luxurious hair. He shuddered in front of the mirror, picturing holding her against him.

Would Master Gouken be appalled at him rushing around like this?

_It's not my fault_

_(Mea culpa)_

_I'm not to blame_

_(Mea culpa)_

_It is the gypsy girl_

_The witch who sent this flame_

_(Mea maxima culpa)_

From somewhere, he thought he heard the soft sounds of people starting to go to worship. His head filled with the few hymns he had heard and he shuffled down the pathways again as he tried to find her. He needed to find her, to feel her warmth and softness and curves against his body. That throbbing rush made his cock hard and strain against his ragged pants.

_It's not my fault_

_(Mea culpa)_

_If in God's plan_

_(Mea culpa)_

_He made the devil so much_

_Stronger than a man_

_(Mea maxima culpa)_

Some part of him... protested. He had come here to train. To fight. He had been looking forward to seeing Ken again the whole time. He had heard that there was a girl—a fighter named Kolin or something—that was very good. He had been impatient to get here finally and to register for the fight and where was he now?

He shuddered in the cool breeze, faltering slightly as he thought about what he was doing. He was supposed to be at the fight—maybe had already forfeited his entry fee—and here he was, stumbling around in the almost dark.

He was about to turn around, but then he heard a high, feminine laugh. It had to be her. It had to be. His head cocked up, sniffing the shifting air, and he could maybe smell a floral perfume. He tried to tell himself it was not her—really, he tried—but then he heard someone else call out “Esmeralda” and he was suddenly in flames again.

Whoever it was looking for her, he would tell them to get lost and then she would be his alone.

_Protect me, Maria_

_Don't let the siren cast her spell_

_Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone_

_Destroy Esmeralda_

_And let her taste the fires of Hell!_

_Or else let her be mine and mine alone_

He felt the rush of blood again. He would find her. She was perfect. If even half of what Ken said was true, then she would be used to traveling everywhere. She was already used to his barefoot existence, surely. And he could give her—no matter what—more than she had now. He made enough for two, enough to have her relax and enjoy traveling. He could protect her, ensure that she had nothing to worry about.

The bells sounded and it sounded too close. The stillness of the midway and the attractions made it sound right next to him. His steps went faster, dodging a row of portable potties and a pair of huge steel picnic tables under a street light.

Esmeralda let out a sharp sound and he ran, looking between things to find her. Then he saw her from between two campers as she fell to her knees beside an old steel fire pit contraption. Her hair glistened in the firelight, a halo around dark shadows.

“Hold on! I’m coming!” he shouted, leaping down the path.

Skidding around an old pickup truck—the first opening he could find—he bounded up to the startled people. He saw none of them except for her as she stared up at him.

Immediately, he slung his heavy bag down and fiddled with the top. Right on top, he always had a first aid kit. Anxiously, he looked at her, the battered box almost shaking in his hands.

Her eyes were amazingly green as she watched him and he asked her, “What happened?”

Her voice was like warm honey as she gave a short laugh. “Silly really. I was....” She shrugged slightly and sat down on the grass. He sucked in a startled breath to see her tug her skirts and show her bare foot and ankle. “I just twisted my ankle.”

Ryu nodded, feeling like his whole body feeling hot and throbbing. He flipped open the box. There was a long pale beige bandage that he pulled out. “Here... let me see.”

“Oh... it’s really nothing!” she laughed. He frowned to see her pulled her feet under the edge of her skirt. “Just being silly, you know?”

He frowned at her finally. “It’s okay. I have gotten hurt a lot and I know how to deal with sprains and twists.” He gave her what he hoped was a supportive and friendly beckoning gesture. “I can fix it and you’ll be fine.”

The woman stared at him and he saw a red flush on her cheeks. “It’s going to be fine.” She wiggled her toes. “See? I’ll be fine.”

There was another roar from the tent and Ryu glanced around. There were two others here—a little boy clinging to an older woman and both staring at him with wide eyes—and they looked around warily. “Look... they are all going to the—.”

Esmeralda laughed with that shy downcast of her eyes that made him feel protective and hot. “They are going to church. To start the Lent services.” A heavy toll of the bells sounded. “We will be moving out as soon as the... entertainment—.”

“The fights,” he hissed. “There is fighting going on.” He took her foot in his hand and began wrapping the bandage around her ankle. “The matches are supposed to be going on until midnight.”

She nodded slowly. “We’ll be taking down the tent and leaving after that.”

“The priests won’t wait that long,” he insisted, holding on to her foot. It fit into his palm so well, so warm and worn smooth like river rocks. “They were already making trouble when I was in the tent. Watching you.”

The older woman took a deep snorting breath. “There’s no good hanging about if the priests are complaining, Esme.” The little boy looked up at her, then at Ryu and Esmeralda. “I must tell the others.”

Esmeralda only laughed. “And tell them what? That a stranger came to tell us that the priests are grumbling.” She grinned. “They are always grumbling.”

“I will tell the Rom Baro anyway.” She shuffled around. “We can’t afford to wait if it’s true.”

Ryu grinned at her. “I saw them in the tents.”

“We’ll go on. Maybe the gadje is bringing us good luck.” The old woman tugged on the little boy. “Come now, Tsali. We will go on and see.” She nudged him. “Come on, Tsali. Say goodnight to them.”

They ran off, disappearing into the shadows between a trailer and a huge van. Ryu puffed out a hasty breath, relieved in some new way that they had gone. Esmeralda tugged on her foot and he looked back at her, relieved and hot and heavy and aroused....

Her eyes snapped at him. “And now all of them are going to be in an unholy panic.” She rolled her eyes angrily and crossed her arms. “Do you know what you’ve done?!” She kicked his hand off her foot. “Now everyone will be running around like mad, taking everything down and running away. How on earth are the Rom and the gadje ever to learn to live together if we keep doing this?”

She leaped to her feet and hastily dusted off her skirts. “Good night!”

Ryu watched as she stomped off. Throwing the box back into his pack, he charged after her. He caught up to her easily as she threaded through the vehicles and went around the back of the tent to the cobblestone road. “Hold on. Wait up.”

“Oh no!” She seemed to grow madder with every step. “I’m going to see those priests and get to the bottom of this.”

Ryu finally reached and took her hand. “Hold on. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to tell them to leave us alone,” she hissed, tugging on him. “We have been fine for five days—a week—as we set up the tent and performed. Nothing has happened to make them upset.”

Ryu flinched to see a pair of robed priests walking down the side road, going to the church. Before he could say anything, she stormed down the road again with a determined jut to her chin.

They noticed her, of course, and pulled up short. Ryu growled to see them look her up and down appraisingly and grin smugly. One of them leaned closer and whispered something and then went back to openly staring at her breasts and hips.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Esmeralda demanded angrily. “What right do you have to do this to us?”

The elderly priests gave smug smiles to each other. The first one was thin and had red robes with gold embroidery and a hook nose under a mustache. The second one was stout, with slightly plainer robes, a sharp beard and a long silver rosary with an ornate cross on the end. “And what do you think has happened?”

She trembled as she stood there. “We‘ve done nothing to you. Any of you! And you’re trying to run us off? How dare you!”

As they leaned closer, Ryu scowled to hear the first whisper to the second. “Good God. Gypsy vermin and their wildness.”

The second nodded slowly, staring at her with a shivery possessiveness. “Dear child... whatever wild stories you’ve heard, we are not doing anything more than protecting this town.”

Esmeralda snarled at them both and then stared at Ryu. Her face clouded in doubt before the first chuckled smugly again. “Why don’t you run off? Just get out of here before we decide that... you are causing trouble.”

“You are insane!” Her voice shook. “We’ve done nothing to you.”

The first priest snorted, touching his elaborate silver rosary. “Why don’t you vermin just leave? Mardi Gras is over and it is time to return to... piety and reverence for our Lord.”

“Not until midnight!” she hissed. “And we are... the contract said that we would have tomorrow to take everything down.”

The second priest chuckled and whispered, “Does that Gypsy really expect us to believe she can read?”

The first snorted and whispered back, “Of course not. They are all uneducated.” A little louder, he said, “We need to be going back to the cathedral, right Father?”

“Of course, Father,” the second one agreed.

They turned away and seemed to be about to go on their way when the first one tossed over his shoulder, “You’d better be gone tomorrow, as well or we will make sure that... we take care of you and all your Gypsy friends.”

Esmeralda blinked in alarm as the priests both picked up some of the temporary Tiki torches to carry with them. Turning to Ryu, she seemed confused and more than a little frightened. “They won’t... do anything, will they?”

He snorted and tugged on her shoulder. “Let’s go. They won’t do anything tonight.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes filling with tears. “We must go back to camp. Tell them to begin leaving.”

He followed her as she trudged back. The camp was alive with people running two and fro with tools and bits and pieces. People looked up at them and then hurried past. One or two dug keys out of their pockets and began starting trucks and heavy equipment.

Finally, she stopped in front of a huge bear of a man in loose pantaloons, shiny leather boots and a thickly embroidered vest of gold. Ryu gave him a confident smirk and with his bald head, thick gray beard, golden ring in his ear, and eyepatch, he seemed to be dressing up almost like a pirate.

“Esmeralda—child—what has happened?” He looked around at the bustling crowd. “Everyone is saying that the priests are against us.”

Panicked murmurs rippled through the crowd. Ryu shrugged under his canvas bag and replied, “Well, they certainly are not friendly.”

She looked at Ryu sadly. “I guess... you were right. We need to... just move on.”

He nodded solemnly. Everyone shuffled around suddenly, starting vehicles and power tools roared to life. The entire place seemed to become suddenly filled with chaos as the darkened rides began collapsing. Ryu walked a few steps behind Esmeralda as they began the breakdown of the camp, the loading of the small platforms and stages onto trucks and into trailers. It was scarily efficient as everything but the main tent evaporated into the night.

The Rom Baro—the Gypsy King—directed the trucks to begin rolling away as the fights finished up. Ryu ducked into some shadows as Ken walked out with a trophy, but he couldn’t say why he wanted to stay hidden. Then the immense machines and cranes took down the tent.

Finally, everyone was ready to leave. Ryu stood on the cobblestone road, watching as the last large truck rumbled away. The church bells tolled three times and he tensed as a robed priest stepped outside of the church. Esmeralda stepped up beside him, scowling as the priest looked around at the empty square and nodded smugly.

She leaned against him wearily. “What are we to do now?”

“Everyone is gone?” he grunted.

“Everyone has packed up.” She shook her head and flicked her fingers through her unruly hair. It looked duller now, covered with sawdust. “We’ll meet further down the road. It will be fine.” She shook her head slowly, small tears in her eyes. “It has to be.”

“Don’t you travel together?” He looked around at the sudden emptiness. “They just left you behind.”

A small grin crossed her face. “We’ll travel on different roads. Someone has a cell phone and we’ll call each other. We’re going to go into the mountains—the Carpathians—for the summer. Then the fairs will start up again in the fall.” She shrugged again, her shoulders slumping. “We’ll see each other again.”

“So where are you headed?” Ryu asked softly. “You still got left behind.”

She only nodded. A few shadows moved away, disappearing into the night. “Those of us that can get by walking away try to... keep going. It’s harder to track a bunch of smaller groups than it is to block a huge caravan.”

“Get your things,” he hissed.

“They are just under that tree. Just a bag.” She shrugged again. “The tent and stuff—the crystals and the table and booth—were packed up with the rest.”

They got her bag—a large duffle bag—and walked in silence away from the city. Ryu idly handed her a bottle of water as they finally found a place to get off the main road. “Get something to drink. We need to find a place to sleep for a while.” He pointed to a small grassy area with a large hickory tree. “That’ll give us some shade for a few hours.”

Esmeralda only nodded. They shuffled off the easement and found a flat area under the branches out of sight of the road. He dug around and found his blanket and spread it out. She sighed and laid down beside him, her eyes filled with tears.

Finally, she let out a heavy sigh, “I guess you’re going to say ‘I told you so’, huh?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yeah. I keep hoping that... sometime, someday we will... be accepted.” She pressed closer to him. “Sometime that we’ll be just... accepted. That we won’t have to do this—this running and hiding and living out our lives like... like we’re all criminals and....”

He patted her hair, letting his thick fingers trail through her riotous curls. She shook her head again and closed her eyes. Her voice was soft and sad as she whispered, “It was amazing, in the old days. We had caravans of horses and wagons we could go all over the place. They were traders and stuff.” She shrugged. “It’s not fair now. Everyone thinks we’re... we’re just... dirty, uneducated thieves now.”

He let out a comforting sound, ignoring—for the moment—the rushing in his blood as she sighed and leaned against him. “And... now you’re alone?”

“I... I used to... My brother. He’s in one of the trucks.” She let out a bitter sound. “He does the lights for the shows. He... thinks he’s too good to travel with us sometimes. He is almost a gadje—cell phone and computer and stuff. But everyone puts up with him because he’s young and he helps keep everyone together by passing messages around.”

Ryu’s voice was deep and far more hoarse than he meant it to be. “So... he left you behind.”

“It’s for the best.” She sighed. “If I attract too much attention, then I could be a problem for the rest of the family. Like I said, it’s harder to stop a bunch of small groups of vehicles than it is to stop an entire caravan. We... we get by.”

“Rest.” Ryu felt his voice deepen into a purr. “Just rest.”

She nodded sleepily and let her duffle fall to the ground with a thud.“I guess.”

“Just sleep,” he muttered.She nodded again sleepily and he reached over and tugged her against him.After being up all night performing and then working to take apart the festival, she sort of fell in a limp pile, so he tugged and guided her so that her head was on his shoulder as he lounged against the tree.“Just sleep.I’ll take care of you.”

Her head nodded and her riotous curls dropped to cover his bare arm and go almost to his lap.Ryu grinned wildly as she shifted one more time and turned her cheek into his muscular shoulder.

By rights, he should have been at least a little tired—he had been up for as many hours as she had and had been walking and then helping the Gypsies break camp.Admittedly, he was expecting to fight and he would have been tired then, but as she sighed heavily and her breath whispered warmly over his almost bare chest, he had to admit that he felt energized.

She was here, alone, with him.She had willingly gone off with him, knew this would happen.She had walked gamely beside him with her feet as bare as his.Had he searched forever, he wouldn’t have found another woman who could do that.

Then his whole body felt feverish, burning with lust and shivering with as his cock grew hard and swelled against the seams of his ragged pants.He could barely wait—barely pause—until she was rested and they could get to somewhere comfortable to spread out his blanket.He could picture it now—a wide open and grassy field with a hillock so that they had privacy from the road and from casual eyes.

Then he sucked in a heady breath.He wanted to touch her, feel her, now.It was almost too much to only sit here, keeping a wary eye open and an ear listening.He was glad that he was a man of discipline—well trained and able to handle this throbbing rush of heat.He smirked to himself—better that she was here with him rather than someone else.Anyone else would already be between her thighs.

He would be gentle with her.He would be attentive to her needs, eager to listen to her whimpers and whines of delight.Surely, she would enjoy his body—he knew he was well built, well formed and muscular and all the things that women said that they wanted.She would not find any fault with his body and he was determined that they would both enjoy his attentions.

For a moment when he rejoiced that he had found her when he did.She was in his power in a way he had never known before.She could hardly go back to the town—not with the priests there and ready and waiting to cause trouble.And this seemed to be a regular thing—so she would have no reason to go to the police or anyone else.

She was entirely in his power....

_Hellfire_

_Dark fire_

_Now gypsy, it's your turn_

_Choose me or_

_Your pyre_

_Be mine or you will burn_

They slept for a bit—one or two hours at the most—and kept going.He kept his long-legged strides more to her pace, but she didn’t show signs of fatigue.When Ken brought Eliza around, the blonde woman would only be able to go a mile or two before her feet hurt or she’d start swearing she was sunburning or something.Instead, Esmeralda simply kept walking down the road with him, occasionally smiling at a the small things that made travel such humble fun—brilliantly colored butterflies or clumps of nodding flowers by in the median or birds whipping through the air in their dizzy ways or brown rabbits bouncing away.

Late that afternoon, they were able to buy a quick meal at a roadside cafe.She sat down primly in the red upholstered booth and scanned the plastic covered menu.“Is the salad any good?”

“I don’t know,” he muttered.“I don’t get the salads usually.”She looked at him like a stern little mother ready to tell him to eat his vegetables.“My father... he is practically vegetarian, so I’m glad to get meat when I can.”

The waitress came up with her pad.“What y’all having?”

“The specials,” he grunted.“Hold the onions.”

“Sure thing, honey.”She gave him a sloppy smile and scribbled on her pad.“You want home fries too?”

“Extra crispy.”

“All right, honey,” she muttered as she walked away.“I’ll bring you lovebirds some coffee in a bit.”

The specials were two pieces of fried chicken with a small bowl of green beans and a scoop of mashed potatoes with a well of suspiciously tan gravy in the top, as well as two butter soaked biscuits.Esmeralda gulped the bitter black coffee as she began plucking the meat from the bone and pushing them into her sliced biscuit.Ryu nodded absently and dumped more sugar into his coffee.If there was anything he missed of Japan aside from his adoptive father, it was the fresh and fragrant delight of good hot tea.

Ryu signaled for more biscuits when he saw a family of six or seven come in.There were two adult men who looked to be brothers with their hawk beak shaped noses and similar sandy beards, a young and tired woman with a group of kids running wildly around her.Esmeralda smiled as the children began thundering past to head to the tiny bathrooms.

Ryu would have smiled as well, but he caught the adults hissing.“There’s that dirty Gypsy—just like they said.”

One of the men whispered back, “She’s not bothering anyone, Emmy.Just let her alone.”

The other man muttered, “I heard from the priest that they were caught thieving.That they were run out because they were caught stealing from the church while everyone was at the fights.”

Ryu stared at the men, glowering until they had the decency to shut the hell up.Still, as she went to wash her hands, he did notice that both men were leaning close over the ancient cash register and whispering to the cook.

As she came back, he waved at the waitress.“Come on—we are getting out of here.”The waitress sauntered over and slid them the yellow ticket.“I’ll get the bill.”

“But—.”

“I got it.”He kept one eye on the cook as he stared at them and inched closer to the black phone.He tossed money on the check on the table.“We need to get going.”

She wasn’t stupid and her eyes went to the cook as he picked up the receiver.Her green eyes went wide and she nodded at him.“Okay—but I’m paying you back—.”

“Forget it,” he snapped as they both picked up their bags.“Just keep going.”

They began hustling down the road again.Whatever the staff at the diner might have done, at least no police seemed to be racing to find them.Still, as soon as they could turn down a side road—one beside a field of dairy cows lazily munching on the turf—they got off the main road.Ryu stuck out his thumb and they managed to get a ride in the back of a dusty pickup truck towing a load of hay bales.

Ryu and Esmeralda road for a while, watching the fields of grain and cattle and at last a field of fluffy sheep go by.There was nothing to say and no way to hear it over the rattling and bumping of the rusty truck.She curled up next to him, relishing the easy warmth of his body and the company as she pointed a few times at the lazy deer on the side of the road or the hawk circling overhead.Then he would nod and scoot an inch or two closer.

Finally the driver was ready to turn into a long driveway and they climbed off and offered their thanks.A sign with curving Cyrillic letters and some numbers stood off to the side of the road.

“So is that nine and a half kilometers, do you suppose?” she chuckled.

Ryu stared at the sign.“I guess so.”She nodded and seemed a bit upset, so he hastily added, “We’ll probably get another ride for most of it.”

“I guess.”She looked around.“But I’ll be glad when we get cell phone signal again and I can tell everyone that I’m okay.”

He nodded and they kept walking.As they kept going down the street, he kept scanning for somewhere good to camp.Half the day—or more—was gone already and he was feel strangely anxious to find just the perfect spot.Usually he walked until he couldn’t see anymore—whether it was so dark or rainy or exhaustion closing his eyes—and slept wherever he ended up.He usually called himself lucky if he was close to an overpass or bridge or somewhere that he could get something overhead.But now he was almost beside himself to find the perfect spot.

A while later, he saw it.There was a wide open, vacant lot that was freshly mown with a split rail fence—purely decorative—around the edges.An ancient pair of peach trees was off towards the back and the ground swelled up and then dipped so that there was a little hollow of clover that you wouldn’t notice if you weren’t looking directly at it and knew where to look.

“There,” he said, pointing to the trees.“We can sleep there.”She looked at him curiously.“It will be perfect.”

She gave him a smile and kicked a rock.“I can’t wait.”

They walked off the road and he grinned to hear her sigh as her feet hit the cool and soft grass.She kept going with him as he walked down to the hollow.Sure enough, it was a little dip that would keep them private and out of the immediate view of the traffic.There wasn’t a farmhouse or anything that he could see—not a church or home or signs of a campground—that would suggest that anyone would particularly be bothered by their presence.

He tossed a thin nylon rope over a branch and tied it to a small steel stake.Digging out his plastic sheet, he tossed it over the rope and pulled out a few more stakes.Pulling on a corner, he happened to see her smiling at him.Shrugging, he felt the smile pull on his lips as he drove the stake into the soft ground.“It’s a cheap and compact way to have a roof overhead.And the olive green will help keep it private.”

She opened her bag and tugged out a thin netting.“Well, I guess I’ve brought the mosquito netting.”

“Wow,” he smirked.“Imagine that.”He helped her spread it over the makeshift tent.She smirked at him, her blush across her cheeks making her look innocent and sultry at the same time.“Us working together like this.”

“Must be destiny,” she laughed.“And just wait.I’ll have dinner in a minute.”

He was surprised that she had a beat up pot, a small bag of rice and beans, and a small pot of Sterno solid fuel to cook over as well as a small wire frame to hold the pot over the flame.She pulled out a water bottle and poured it over the rice and vegetables as he found his long life lantern.

He dug around in his bag and showed her a handful of meal replacement bars. “Well... I had these.”

“It’s okay.”She stared at the little pot.“There’s lots of ways to get food.At least this time we have something hot.”

He nodded thoughtfully.“It’s a blessing.”She smiled and nodded.“We have a ways to go.”

“The caravan will send me a message on where they are meeting.”With a battered spoon, she stirred it all.“Once I get to town tomorrow, I’ll know where and we can plan—.”Suddenly she looked up at him.“Sorry.I get caught up and never even asked where you were going.”

“I am just... traveling around,” he shrugged.“I was headed for the fights and now that they are done, I’m just traveling around until the next one.”

“Really?!” she asked, surprised when he nodded.“I... I haven’t ever met a gadje who traveled around like us.”

He snorted as she stirred dinner again.“What does that even mean anyway?”

“Gadje?It is what we call those who are not Romany.”She tilted her head and he smiled at the coy way the shadows curled over her form.“But I think you are definitely up to Romany rei—a friend of Gypsies.”

He laughed.“I guess.That’s a good thing.”

Dinner was bland and tasteless but warm.And chewy—there hadn’t been time for the beans to cook properly—but then it was time to put everything away.She wrapped the empty, dirty pot in a plastic bag and stuck it back in her bag.They both had lightweight blankets to wrap up in as the stars began twinkling overhead.

He smirked as he pulled up closer to her.She didn’t pull away or give him one of those uncomfortable grimaces that would have said that she wanted to be anywhere else.

“Comfortable?” he asked with a twilight hidden grin.

“Yeah,” she whispered.“it’s just... I keep hoping that the next town is going to be better.”Ryu felt her sorrowful sigh.“It’s like the whole world is convinced that we are thieves and stupid and... and illiterate.I’m just tired of going into a town and hoping that we’ll be allowed to just... go in peace.”

He gave a low whistle of amazement.“So... the priests go after you every time?”

“Not the priests—not all the time.”Her shoulders jerked but he couldn’t tell if she was chuckling or crying.“The priests... they are behind it about half the time because they all still believe whatever nonsense.Sometimes it’s the police—the law.It doesn’t matter, really, because it’s always someone who just takes a look at us and hates us.

“They... they don’t even know us.They don’t care.They just walk up and stare at us like we’re... like we’re specimens in a zoo.They will spend the entire time staring at us like we’re going to rob the banks and steal candy from babies the moment they grin.”

He nodded slowly.“Sounds tough.”

She gave another of those shuddering sighs.“At least we got to set up this time.Sometimes as soon as we get into town, we’re told that they have other plans.Or we’re stuck on some kind of swamp or something.”She did laugh.“One town, they wouldn’t let us set up on their fair grounds—only on the flooded farm field and we had to cancel because it would have electrocuted us.Another one—it’s really ridiculous—decided to ‘inspect’ our rides and booths and decided to fail all of the tent supports.We couldn’t set up anything so it was all open air.”

Carefully, Ryu put his arm around her shoulders.“Well... right now that doesn’t sound so bad.I mean, look up—you won’t get a view like that inside a tent.”

She stiffened suddenly.“I guess...?”

“I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered, burying his nose into her hair.It smelled of flowers and a fresh scent that seemed to be of sunbeams.“You won’t have any problems—.”

“Umm....”Her voice cracked slightly and he felt her jerk suddenly.“I....Can we... just...?”

Ryu felt a silent thrum in his blood.Her body was so warm and her skin was soft.His arm dropped around her waist to hold her close.“You’ll never have to worry about it again.”

She let out a gasp.“W-w-what are you... talking about?!”

“I was thinking,” he whispered into her hair.“We can travel together.We are... very compatible.We don’t have to go to particular places—we can travel around and see the world.”She wriggled and he felt her in all kinds of burning, throbbing ways that made his body harden and his blood thunder in his ears.“And my home has room for both of us—.”

“What?!” she gasped.“What do you mean?”

He shrugged, tugging her closer.She twisted and let out a whine as he pulled her across the grass.“My home is in Japan.It’s a big enough place in the mountains that we can—.”

“Hold up,” she hissed, tugging away.“I never said anything about—.”

“You’ll like it,” he insisted, scooting close enough that he could wrap around her.“It’s in the mountains and on clear days, you can see the whole valley.Even down to the temple where they have tons of cherry trees and the—.Hey!”

She jerked away and tried to stand up, but he grabbed her and yanked.With a whine, she fell back and landed exactly where he wanted—in his lap.Her wriggling made him smile, because every plush curve was crushed against him in the most intoxicating of ways.

“Don’t worry,” he purred into her ear.He couldn’t help it if he sounded breathless with that heady anticipation buzzing in his head, could he?“I’m gentle.We’ll be great—.”

“No!” she whimpered.“Don’t....I mean....!”

He whispered into her ear.“Shh.... It’s all right.”His hand went between her legs and tugged her.Her hips pressed harder against his cock, wriggling and pushing against its length.“I am not going to hurt you.”

She whined as his muscular arms went under her breasts, pushing them until they almost overflowed the ruffled edge.“No—you don’t understand—!”

Ryu yelped as her nails dug into his canvas covered legs.He tightened his arms grabbing at her wrists.“Calm down.”

Suddenly she burst out into tears, her heels digging into the grass.“Please... don’t do this.”

“I’m a good guy,” he hissed into her ears.“I’m not going to hurt you.”

She tugged this way and that, but as he wound his arms and his legs around her, she seemed to realize that he had a firm grasp of her.Ryu nodded to himself, his eyes fluttering slightly as she kept wriggling against his dick.

“I just want to hold you,” he whispered.“You understand?”She nodded too quickly.“I am not going to hurt you—just hold you.”She nodded again.“This is it.This is all I want.”

“Y-you... you won’t—?” she whimpered with a little sob.“Please.... I didn’t hurt you.I’d never hurt anyone—!”

“I know.I know.”Very slowly he let one arm relax, feeling her fold over his other arm with shuddering sobs.“I know you won’t hurt me.”He couldn’t help but chuckle into her long hair.“You can’t hurt me—you know that?”

“Y-y-yes.”

“I’ll take care of you,” he purred into her ear.“I can protect you.I can go with you everywhere you want to go and there’s street fights everywhere.”Her head shook in front of him.“I am strong enough to protect you and you’ll never have to be afraid again.”

Her voice was tiny and thin as she replied, “I... I thought that....I was so sure that I was safe with you.”

“You are!”

“Please don’t... don’t forget.”She was so limp now, almost a rag doll in his arms.“Don’t forget that... that we’ve had..good times, right?Just traveling, right?”He nodded.“Please... don’t destroy this.”Tears dripped from her voice.“I’m not...”

“Little one,” he purred.“You are just fine.”Esmeralda finally gave up, crumpling against him.“That’s it.Just relax.”

She let him drag her closer and arrange in his lap, her hair flowing in reckless black coils like smoke over his chest and arms.God, she was so soft, so warm.It was like every dream he had ever had about what a woman would be like in his arms was absolutely true.

“There you go,” he purred appreciatively.It wasn’t his ideal, but this was not too bad.“You’ll see that things aren’t too bad—that we can get along.”She yelped and suddenly tried to leap out of his arms.He caught her easily enough, dragging her back into his embrace.“Look—there is an easy way and a hard way.You can either play nice and soft and sweet or I can tie you hand and foot every minute.”

She let out a squeal and he jammed his hand over her mouth.He felt her try to bite him, but his hands were long since toughened against any damage with thick callouses.He grinned as kept wiggling, every part of her body wriggling against his.

“Now—are you going to behave?”She gave a muffled sound and he took itfor a ‘yes’.“I’m not going to hurt you.I never wanted to hurt you and as long as we get along, I will not let anything else hurt you.”He paused to nuzzle that thick pile of curls in front of his nose.“Now... do you hear me?I’m not going to let anyone hurt you and you’ll never need to be afraid again.”

Her nod jerked his hand up and down.“Now... I’m going to take my hand down.We are going to be very quiet.You and I are going to watch the stars a bit longer until bedtime.Then we’ll both go into the tent and we’ll sleep until we get up tomorrow.”She gave him another nod.“If you behave, then we can do this nicely and we’ll stay friendly.

“If you insist on fighting me, you will lose.You will only get hurt,” he whispered sadly.“If you will behave, then we will travel like we have been.”

Her voice was a star’s cry in its ephemeral thinness.“And if I don’t?”

He grinned, relieved she seemed to be very reasonable.“If you are not ready to be reasonable, then I will tie you up.”His head tilted towards the rope from the tent.“I will keep you tied up and I will keep us both off the roads.You’ll never see another town and we’ll head to Japan and we’ll be up in the mountains.Make trouble there, shame my father or me, and we’ll go really high up in Hokkaido where no one will find us.

“Do you know what those mountains are like?The high passes—I’ve been through them all—and they get choked with snow for months.There’s caves and frozen rivers and no towns for miles.It’s where I trained for years so that I was tough enough for the street fights.No food, no stores, no people for months, Esmeralda.There’s not a lot of time for dancing or singing then, while we hunt for food and scoop up the snow for water.”

His voice dropped to a soothing tone.“I don’t want that for you, princess.”He stroked her hair.“I want to travel with you like we have been.I want to see the world with you.I want you to be happy and to dance like you did back in town.I want you to have a good time, enjoy life.”

She nodded slowly as he spoke.He took heart in that.Her muscles were becoming loose and pliable, she was relaxing in his hands.She was laying back against him now, accepting if not eager—yet.

“Good.”His grip loosened one more time.If she defied him after this, he would bind her.He would take care of her, ensure that she was safe and he would try to make her as happy as possible.It wouldn’t be pretty, but he hadn’t lied about Hokkaido, and he knew all of the back roads that would keep her from escaping.“Now... are you tired?”

She shook her head and took in a deep, shuddering breath.“I’m just... tired.”

“Okay.I am, too.”He loosed his arms just a fraction.“Are you ready to go into the tent and sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Very slowly, she climbed into the makeshift tent and laid down beside him.Ryu tucked in the blankets around her carefully and brushed her hair back from her face.He couldn’t believe the light and springy texture as it curled around her even now.He grinned and settled down next to her, tucking some of the generous length under his chin and wondering if this is what silk felt like.

Still, she must have been weary—she was asleep almost as soon as he had tucked her in.At least, he thought she was asleep.In the darkness, he grinned.If she wasn’t, then there were plenty of other activities they could indulge in....

But, she didn’t budge, didn’t stir as he relaxed.Not even when he threw a meaty arm over her.He stroked her curves one more time—just one more time—and closed his eyes.

_(Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy))_

_God have mercy on her_

_(Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy))_

_God have mercy on me_

_(Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy))_

This was so warm.So comforting and relaxing.He had no memory of a mother’s touch.Gouken had never married and Ken had stopped even the occasional visits to women when he got engaged to Eliza.This was the first time in his recent memory that he could rest near a woman, feel her curves and hear her deep breathing.

It was so warm and comforting....

Something crackled in his head—a bit of mental static as he wandered into the realm of sleep—and he was sure that he would do anything to keep her close.Anything at all.If the towns didn’t want her—it was there loss because he did.He would keep her well and healthy and she would be happy....

A low, unfamiliar laugh cackled in his head and the whisper of approval sounded like a demon—a darkness that was hungry for his soul.

_But she will be mine_

_Or she will burn!_


End file.
